B/C? 



A» 



ADDRESS 



OCCABIONEI) BT THE 



DEATH OF GENERAL LINGAN, 



WHO WAS MUBDEBED BT THi 



MOB JIT EMTIMORE, 



Delivered at Georgetown, September 1, iSl2, 



BY GEORGE WASHINGTON PARK CUSTIS. 



BOSTON: 

PUBLISHED BY BRADFORD W BEAD, 



in 



ADDRESS. 



Shall the stranger, my friends, attempt to speak 
your Hero's praise ? — I never fed at his board, I 
never drank of his cup, nor did the cheering smile 
of welcome ever meet me at his hospitable thres- 
hold. Then sure no motives of partiality can influ- 
ence the sentiments, which I am about to utter, in 
behalf of one, whom I never knew. Yet as the 
brave man who fought the battles of my coimtry's 
liberty, is to be the subject of my praise ; as the 
illustrious citizen, who died in defence of one of 
the dearest rights which freemen can boast, is to be 
the Hero of my tale ; — I can only say, my friends, 
that were my powers commensurate with my zeal, 
I would hope on this day to do honor to his me- 
mory. 

By what standard of patriotism shall we try your 
Lingan ? — Shall we try him by the standard of mo- 
dern PATRIOTS ; MUSHROOMS of YESTERDAY, 

who have grown up from the soil, first fattened by J 
the blood of Heroes ; or rather shall we try him by 
the illustrious standard of 'Seventy Six V — Look 
to the mighty period \vhich "tried men's souls ;' 



1 

— look into the embattled nuiks oi' libcnty's host, 
and there will you find your LINGAN ! — Witness 
the dreadful combi\t of Long Island, where the fa- 
mous Maryland Regiment, after bearing the brunt 
of the day, were nearly annihilated and cut to pieces 
— Again behold him at the storming of Fort Wash- 
ington, and then you may change the scene. You 
have yet only viewed your friend, the gallant soldier 
in the tented field. — You must 7W7V behold him the 
wretched prisoner in the dungeons of the Prison 
Ship ! — There, while listening to the groans of ex- 
piring humanity ; there, while beholding his brave 
brethren d} ing by inches iji all the horrors of cap- 
tivity and want, well might your LINGAN say — 
Sweet, oh my country ! should be thy liberties, 
when they are purchased at this monstrous price ! 
Yes, my friends, of that very Prison Ship was 
your LINGAN a suftlrer, which, even at this late 
time of day, excites the warmest sensibilities in the 
American bosom. You have seen our brethren 
perform a pious pilgrimage to the spot where the 
victims were laid* — you have seen them rake up 

* The Orator here alludes to the funeral ecrcmouies in New 
V'ork — M hen llic Tannnany Society and citizens of the same 
political denomination, caused the boiies ol'hinnb'eds of Amer- 
icans who had perished on l)oard the Jersey prison ship, to be 
collected from the heach and buried beneath a nionument, pre- 
pared fur that purpose. On this occasion appropriate ora- 
tions were delivered, and tlic bones were attended to the ejrave 
i)y aji immense procession — (ieneral liiNOAN was one of tlie 
few \\\\Q survived these niartyre<I patriots. His health was 
s6 much impaired by his sufferings on board this prison ship, 
that ho was, for niany months svdjsc(|uent, Iielpless^is an in- 
faul. 



the bones which six and thirty years had bleached, 
and inter them with all the pomp and solemnity of 
woe. — Aye, and I trust that my country will yet 
find a tear to hallow the memory of the brave old 
man, who died in defence of one of the dearest 
rights those immortal sufferings have procured ! 

When the war had ended, your LINGAN retir- 
ed to the shades of domestic life ; happy in the con- 
scientious reflection, that his services and sufferings 
had contributed to rear the temple of naticaal 
fireedom, to found the glorious empire of laws. — 
There, in the relatives duties, of a father, a master, 
a neighbor and a friend, was the gallant veteran 
most nobly distinguished. Say ye who best can 
tell, was he not the kind indulgent parent ? the good 
husband ? the faithful friend ? the upright hon- 
orable man ? "//' there be any one in this assembly 
who xvill deny this praise^ now let him speak y for ■ 
him have I offended^^'' and if it were further neces- 
sary to inquire into the merits of this excellent man, 
know that they were stam ped with a seal, which 
bore the name of WASHINGTON !— Yes, my 
friends, your LINGAN and your WILLIAMS 
were each appointed, in the early formation of the 
government, to oilices of honor and^trust by that 
immortal chief, whose unerring judgment was never 
deceived, if the Soldier was the object — Williams 
did I say ? the gallant Williams of Guildford 
and the Eutaws ? Peace be to his ashes ! Happy 
that he is gone ! for sure it would have rent his 
manly heart, to have witnessed tlie mcLmeholv end 
of his old brotlier soldier ! 



6 

It has been said by some, my friends, and sup^ 
posed by others, that the venerable Lingan was in- 
duced to engage in the enterprise which terminated 
his Hfe, by the arts and intrigues oF dowgning men, 
contrary to the dictates of his better judgment. — 
In the face ot his flimily, his country and the 
world, I deny the fact ! ! No, my friends, tlie 
whole heart of the veteran v/as in this thing : — and 
it was, because he had seen the laws of his country 
prG>trated at the feet of tyrannic- power, and the lib- 
erty of tlie press violated and usurped : — And 
when he saw a band of youth prepare to defend 
their rights, or perish in the breach, the soul of the 
veteran rejoiced. — "I admire these gallant boys," he 
said, "their heroic ardor remmds me of my other 
days — I will join their gallant calling — age and ex- 
perience will be useful to temper their valor, to 
moderate their zeal, to direct their energies. I will 
JDC the Nestor to the young Achilles." 

When, after a brave defence, our brethren had 
laid down their arms, and submitted to the consti- 
tuted authorities of their coiuitry, mercy and gener- 
osity should have been shewn to submission. They 
are the privileges of the brave in every age and con- 
dition of society. 

Who were these prisoners ? — Were they the rak- 
ings of kennels ; were their shoes yet new, since 
they landed on our shores ? or were they sons of 
the sires, who had fought the battles, and labored 
in tlie councils of their country's glory ; y-eomen of 
our land, wlx) had grown up with the growth and 



strengthened with the strength of liberty ? Their 
cause was holy. They knew they had done no 
wrong — for people of America know, that when 
the laws of a community can no longer protect the 
citizen, the great law of Nature commands him to 
protect himself! ! ! — Yet, that the ends of jnstice 
might be subserved — that their accusers might ob- 
tain the full measure of justice denied to them ; these 
gallant heroes consented to be carried, like malefac- 
tors^ to the Prison House ! — There they received 
the most solemn assurance, which honor and relig- 
ion could give, of perfect safety and protection. 
Who will then believe, that in a few short hours, the 
asylum of justice ; the asylum in which even the 
condemned criminal is sa/e ; should h6 converted 
into the chamber of death ! 

Hide, hide my country, thy diminished head ! 
Thouy an empire of laws, and yet this monstrous 
outrage within thy bosom ! Thou, the seat of jus- 
tice, and yet the asylum of justice, profaned with 
innocent blood ! The weeping genius of my coun- 
try seeks to draw a veil before the dreadful scene, 
but an higher Power commands that no veil shall 
screen this work of dai'kness from the light of 
Truth ! 

The Murder of Prisoners ! ! — Whv, 'tis ab- 
horrent to Nature — My soul sickens at the thought. 
Sure such hideous sin was once foreign to the Amer, 
ican character ! — Say, ye grey-headed men, veter- 
ans of liberty, and fathers of my country, -when 
was the time, during our arduous struggle, that the 



8 

soldier of freedom stained his laurels with hib 
prisoners' blood ! While storniinj^ the redoubts at 
Y(irk Town, the cry of the soldiers was, " Remem- 
ber Ncxv London^'''' yet, no sooner had tliefoc sub- 
mitted, than mercy, divine iMERcy, sat trium- 
phant on my country's colors — Aye, my friends, 
Hamilton and Lairens commanded then ! 

The Murder of Prisoners ! ! ! — Even san- 
guinar}^ France now cowers to our superior genius 
in iniquity — She is no longer supreme in sin. If 
we contemplate the tremendous scenes of her rev- 
olution, they appear but as Christmas-gambots 
to this hellish tragedy, for the state of society is 
decidedly different. — There the tiger had long 
been confined within the bars of ojjpression. For 
centuries had he gnawed his galling chain and thirs- 
ted for the blood of his oppressors ; but here, in 
the mild land of liberty, in a wise and good gov- 
ernment, whose laws provide the i)unishmcnt of 
crimes, what indeed must be that injury which re- 
quires an extra vengance ! 

The Murder of Prisoners ! ! ! — It is true, 
Napoleon, the chosen monster of crime, first set this 
horrid example at Jaffa ; but even inider Iris au- 
thority, the poor victims met a speedy and mer- 
ciful death ! — The battalion, which M^as drawn up 
against them, soon put a period to their sufferings, 
by an immediate passport to eternity. 

The Murder of Prisoners ! ! — When, even 
^\hen the Indian Savage a prisoner takes, if he 
promises him protection, the poor cai>tive is safi. — 



9 

Nay, go further — Look to the Arab robber of the 
Desert, When he meets the wandering pilgrim in 
the sands, if he conducts him within his tent, the 
robber will die at his door in defence of his 
guest ! — Such are the examples of mercy, fidelity 
and honor which adorn even the savage life ; and 
yet, my countrymen, it has been left to the enlight- 
ened Republic of America, to shew more horrid 
examples of cruelty, then ever distinguished the In- 
quisition or the rack. 

Let us attend the venerable LINGAN in the last 
moments of his life. — When he found the inevitable 
fate which awaited him, that fortitude which had dis- 
tinguished the gallant veteran in the direful fields of 
the revolution, while fighting for the liberties of his 
country, did not desert him in the closing hour of his 
life. And yet, sure he thought, that if Americans 
were his foes, the sight of his venerable figure, bent 
with age, must touch their hearts ! Ah, LINGAN I 
thou hast indeed survived thy country's better 
days. There was a time, when thy venerable pre- 
sence would have arrested the falling dagger, had 
it been grasped by an American hand ! What did I 
say ? — Sure there was a time, when a thousand 
sabres would have gleamed to defend the grey 
head of an aged soldier, sinking at the feet of an 
assassin ! ! ! Alas ! those days are gone ! — The 
glory of my country hath sunk into the grave of 
her chief ! 

Attend the closing scene. The old man falls 
beneath their blows ; — yet feebly raising his woun- 



10 

ded h,cad, on which three score winters had shed 
their snows, lie appeals to his murderers — "Spare 
th/s old man, whose years are few to live ; Spare the 
father, whose orphans will want ! Spare the old 
soldier, whose faithful services, and A\hose hard 
sufferings have earned his country's liberties ! 
Sparc ! ! !" — Here, as if it were necessary to cap 
the climax of horror, to render the catastrophe of 
Hell complete — know, Americans, that JAMES 
LINGAN, the soldier of your WASHINGTON, 
the patriot, the hero, and the friend ; the man of 
charity who felt for others' woes ; the noble ex- 
ample to youth ; the man of virtue, religion and 
honor ; died, died under the appellation of a 
Tory. 

Are there men in this Assembly who can feel ? — 
Now let them feel ! 

Oh, Maryland! Would that the waters of thy 
Chesapeake could wash this foul stain from thy char- 
acter ! — Oh M A R YLA N D 1 Would that the record- 
ing angel, who carries thy black deed to Heaven's 
chancery on high, could drop a tear upon it, and 
blot it out forever ! But no ! A voice cries from the 
tomb of the brave. It rises to the God of Nature 
and Humanity, and demands a vengeance on the 
murderer ! 

And are there no young men in Montgomery, 
who will go and redeem the remains of their vener- 
able friend, and give them the rites of sepulture 
near his own house. Sure it would soothe the 
widow's sorrowing heart — Sure it would soothe 



11 

the orphans' woes ! — Then go, perform the pious 
task, and the applause of all good men speed you on 
your way ! — Mark well my words — 'Tis not that I 
would sharpen your swords to vengeance — ven- 
geance belongs to the laws ; but / would open 
your hearts to gratitude — gratitude belongs to 
man ! 

Shade of the venerable LINGAN ! Farewell ! 
Accept the feeble tribute erf a stranger's praise ; 
although thy Sun hath sunk in the horizon, still its 
last parting gleam sheds a benign lustre on thy fame. 
The laurel that covers thy hoary head, old man ! 
shall ever bloom with youthful verdure ! Thy illus- 
trious services in liberty's cause shall rear for thee 
a cenotaph in each freeman's bosom, while thy 
endearing virtues will cause the ready tear of affec- 
tion to freshen the turf on thy humble grave ! 

Soldier of my Country ! Defender of her 
Liberties— FAREWELL ! 

Permit me, my friends, to offer you a few re- 
marks, touching ths present state of our republic. 
People of America ! The Liberty of the Press is 
one of the noblest rights a freeman can boast. 
When the right of opinion, the liberty of speech, 
and the liberty of the press, are prostrated- at the 
feet of lawless power, the citadel of freedom must 
soon surre?ider. Yes, my friends, and that power 
which destroys these attributes of liberty, is the 
pioneer which precedes the march of despotism ! 

I well remember the good old Federal times, 
when the fl\ther of his country, blest with his vir- 

Lorc 



12 

lues our rising Empire. Then was Uic majesty ol* 
the laws supreme ; then ^vas tlie Liberty of the 
Press inviolate ; and sure, if ever there was a time, 
when its licentiousness required a curb, it was, 
when its slanders were aimed at the reputation of 
the First of Men ! The modern Archimedes of 
malice and ambition had upreared his mighty en- 
gines of calumny, to assail our Chieftain's virtue ! 
But the great, the godlike WASHINGTON, had 
only to oppose the iEgis of his integrity, and their 
shafts fell harmless to the ground ! Yes, Peo- 
ple of America ! and wretched indeed is that man's 
cause, which cannot be defended by his integrity ! 
Why are federalists a persecuted race ? Must 
they leave their Egypt, and under the conduct of 
another Moses, seek a new Canaan "? Can they boast 
of no virtues, no services, to entitle them to the 
joys of Liberty's land ? Who reared the temple of 
national freedom ? Who kindled the sacred Hame 
on its altars ? Whose virtues, whose services, have 
contributed to nourish that flame ? Go ! untie the 
scroll of fame ! — Peruse the list of American 
worthies, and tell me if any Federalists are there ! 
Go to the hard fought fields of the Revolution — 
kneel on their sacred earth, which tells no lies, and 
ask her, if on the memorable days, when we fought 
for Liberty, no Federal blood moistened her bosom ? 
Nay, persecuted as we are, perhaps at this moment 
some gallant sailor climbs the shattered mast to 
nail the flag of my country to its stump — My life 
on it. that fellow is a Federalist ! — Perl)aj)s soni<" 



k.. 



13 

gallant soldier may yet scale the Heights of Abra- 
ham, to wreathe Liberty's standard around Mont- 
gomery's tomb — I tell you the first foot, which 
presses that classic ground, will be a Federalisfs. 
Forever live the glorious name our WASHING- 
TON bore ! — Forever let his example inspire his 
children ! 

The spirit of Federalism rises from the tomb of 
Mount Vernon. — and when my country shall bend 
under the storms of adversity, the children of Wash- 
in gton will show "their generous nature," 

When the storms of adversity shall rock Liberty's 
temple to its base, the Sampson of Federalism will 
grasp the pillars, and in his expiring struggles, will 
perish with Liberty, in Liberty's ruins. 

Yes, Americans ! the power which made you 
great and free, independent and happy, still opens 
its arms to receive the prodigal returned — When 
my country shall have been deeply stricken by mis- 
fortune, may she — grown wise by her experience- 
determine to restore the age of Washington — ^to 
render the last of Republics immoutal ! 

Did I speak of the age of Washington ? the gol- 
den age of my country ? when peace, prosperity 
and protection blessed our land ! — Great is the con- 
trast now — Attend me, friends, to a Federalist's 
house in 1812 : I open you the door, and that too 
of a man who can look his country in the face, and 
say,* / have been thy benefactor ; near the cradle 

* Arlington Sheep-Shearing, founded in 1803, first (auglii 

our country to hail the sounds of industry with independeucf. 

''.\merica shall be great and free, and minister to Iter want* 



14 

of my sleeping chiicl stands the musket and bayo- 
net ; near tb.e pillow of my innocent wife the sharp- 
ened sabre ! — and why? Because I will enjoy tin; 
right of opinion, the freedom of speech, and the 
liberty of the press — these sacred privileges I in- 
haled with my first breath, and will only lose them 
with my last. When my Parentf was perishing at 
York-Town, he becpieathcd this invLUuable legacy 
to his child, and damned be the man who would 
relinquish the rights obtained by a parent's sufter- 
ings ! !— Oh, WASHINGTON ! discerning man; 
well indeed didst thou foresee thy country's fallen 
deijtiny ! As a parent didst thou warn tliy children 
of the precipice to which they were approaching. 
Yes, as thy country's guardian angel didst thou 
stand on the brink, and j)oijit to the abyss below — 
Thy sun kis sunk in the west, but may its last 
parting gream still serve to light us in our dark- 
some course, till the sun of another Washington 
shall arise, and give to America a glorious day ! 

Weep not, my brethren, that our Chief is gone. 
Dry up your tears ; and thank the Author of Di- 
vine Mercies for having so long preserved our 
Benefactor for our happiness — and at last only to 

"by the employment of her own resources." — "The American 
"citizen will {trondly appear when clothed in the produce of 
"his native soil" — [^Speeches of Mr. C'listis, at the Jirlington 
sheep shearxn^.'\ 

t Mr. Ciistis's father died near Yorktown in 1781. from an 
infections disorder received in the liritisli camp. Mr. C'listis, 
tl^en au iufunt, was adopted in tin' family of Mount > ernon. 



15 

have taken him from us when the degeneracy of his 
country had began to sorrow his declining years — 
Methinks I hear his mighty spirit sigh in the breeze 
— Methinks I see his venerated form enshrined in 
glory ! — his opened arms receive the Shade of Lin- 
GAN ! — listen to his mighty words : "Well done, 
thou good and faithful soldier, who twice hath bled 
in Liberty's cause ; enter nito the joys reserved for 
the brave !" 

My task is almost done — Thanks to you, friends, 
for your patient attention. The tear which fills the 
furrow in the veteran's cheek, the sympathy of age, 
youth and beauty, Oh Lingan ! speak thy best 
eulogium ! 

This great, this immortal day, will proudly shine 
in Freedcm's annals— and while the prayers of the 
wise, the virtuous, and the brave ascend to the 
Throne of Grace to hallaw our Hero's memory, 
go tell your children that their lives belong to the 
liberties of their country ! 

My task is done — Think me not an intruder here 
—I could not bear to see the remains of the vete- 
ran Soldier sink dishonored and neglected to the 
grave — I could not let the man, who had earned the 
liberties which I enjoy, want the poor tribute of 
my services to speak his praise. Such as they are, 
most freely have they been exerted in his cause : 
would that they had been better, they still should 
have been his. 

I never felt the grasp of his friendly hand ; I 
never sat under the shade of his hospitality — but I 



IG 



LIBRPRY OF CONGRESS 



014 368 490 8 ^ 



ohould disgrace the illustrious name I bear — I 
should disgrace my breeding at Mount Vernon, 
should I omit to speak the praise of virtue, and 
venerate the memory of the Brave ! 



